Beautiful mark for Ho Chi Minh City music

On the evening of May 17, at Gigamall Trade Center (Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City), the Art Gala program "The Country Rises" took place. This event is part of the series of activities of the program "Honoring Vietnamese Coffee and Tea" for the 3rd time in 2025 organized by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, taking place on May 17 and 18.

Honoring 8 outstanding works

The campaign to compose the theme song "The Country is Full of Joy" was launched on September 25, 2023. The Organizing Committee received 166 works from 122 authors across the country. Of these, 143 works from 110 authors were considered for the preliminary round. From there, the 20 works with the highest scores entered the final round in February 2025. The Art Council and the Organizing Committee decided to award 8 prizes, without a first prize.

Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association Tran Trong Dung (right cover) and Editor-in-Chief of the Lao Dong Newspaper To Dinh Tuan presented the award "Lifetime Musician for Vietnamese Music" to two musicians Pham Minh Tuan (second from right) and Tran Xuan Tien (Photo: HOANG TRIEU)

Specifically, the songs "Singing about the city I love" - ​​composer Tran Xuan Mai Tram and "Following the Sacred Testament" - composer Nguyen Van Chung both won second prize; the songs "City of Smiles" - composer Huynh Huu Duc and " Ho Chi Minh City 50 Years of Joy" - composer Nguyen Duy Khoi both won third prize; the songs "City Connecting Bridges" - composer Ngo Duy Thanh, "City Forever in Our Hearts" - composer Pham Hoang Long and "Ket Tinh Ngan Duong 50 Nam" - composer Huynh Loi all won consolation prizes and the song "Proud to be a Vietnamese" by composer Le Ba Thuong won the most favorite work award.

The Organizing Committee presented the "Collection of 50 songs" to the libraries of universities. Photo: HOANG TRIEU

Sharing her feelings when her name was called, musician Tran Xuan Mai Tram expressed her pride at being honored in the songwriting campaign "The Country is Full of Joy". "This award is not only my honor but also a spiritual gift for my father (musician Tran Xuan Tien - PV), who inspired me and gave me the love of music from the very first days" - musician Mai Tram shared.

Musician Le Ba Thuong sent his thanks to Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper: "I am not a professional musician, this award has marked a turning point in my musical garden. The campaign is an opportunity for me to express my pride in the spirit of solidarity and resilience of the Vietnamese people."

The Organizing Committee also awarded the "Lifetime Musician for Vietnamese Music" award to two musicians Pham Minh Tuan and Tran Xuan Tien.

Mr. Bui Thanh Liem - Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, Head of the Organizing Committee of the Campaign to compose songs with the theme "The Country Full of Joy" - emphasized: "The awarded works are the passion of musicians who compose new songs about Ho Chi Minh City. Young audiences will understand more about the city named after beloved Uncle Ho in each song. Thereby, contributing to living and working better, joining hands to bring the city and the country to sustainable development, on the way to a new era".

Where emotions converge

The "The Country Rises" Art Gala is an occasion to honor the authors who won prizes in the "The Country is Full of Joy" theme song composition campaign and the artists who won the 30th Mai Vang Award.

The audience enjoyed the excellent works: "Uncle is marching with us" (composer: musician Huy Thuc), "Joining hands" (musician Trinh Cong Son), "Stars in mother's eyes" (musician Tran Xuan Tien), "City of smiles" (musician Huynh Huu Duc), "Proud to be Vietnamese" (musician Le Ba Thuong), "Following the sacred will" (musician Nguyen Van Chung)...

The highlight of the program was the traditional folk song "Diem Hen Mai Vang" composed by journalist and director Thanh Hiep, as a tribute to the artists who have contributed to the glory of the national stage. The work was performed by Meritorious Artist Vo Minh Lam and Meritorious Artist Tu Suong - two faces who have received the Mai Vang Award from Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper.

The "talents" including rapper Dinh Tien Dat, singer Dang Khoi, Huy R of the program "Anh trai vu ngan cong gai" which just won the award for "most favorite digital-television program at the 30th Mai Vang Awards" - 2024 also participated in the program. Singer Trang Phap performed the songs "Gui chong tai lai" and "Barbie", receiving much applause from the audience.

Mr. TRAN TRONG DUNG - Vice President of Vietnam Journalists Association: Arousing patriotism

The movement to compose songs with the theme "A Country Full of Joy" has encouraged and promoted the talents and enthusiasm of Vietnamese musicians, creating works of high ideological and artistic value, contributing to fostering and arousing patriotism, the strength of national solidarity and the aspiration to develop a prosperous and happy country.

I believe that the songs will be promoted and spread widely in people's lives. This is a meaningful and practical gift to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification. Looking forward to the 31st Mai Vang Awards, it can be said that this event is not only a unique brand of the Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper but also an event and meeting place for those who work and are passionate about culture and arts, as well as receiving attention from the public and the media.

Associate Professor, Dr. NGUYEN THI MY LIEM - Vice President of Ho Chi Minh City Music Association: Enriching spiritual life

The songwriting contest with the theme "The Country is Full of Joy" organized by the Lao Dong Newspaper is a meaningful contest, attracting many musicians, including famous musicians as well as young people to participate. I participated in the artistic council of this contest and found that most of the compositions were high-quality musical works, many songs had a very new and attractive musical language, attracting listeners. The songs coming out of this contest have enriched the spiritual life of the people of Ho Chi Minh City.

K.Ngan - M.Phuong recorded

The Organizing Committee of the songwriting campaign with the theme "The Country is Full of Joy" has selected 50 typical songs to be printed into a "Collection of 50 Songs". In the "The Country is Rising" Art Gala program, the Lao Dong Newspaper presented the "Collection of 50 Songs" to the libraries of the following universities: Social Sciences and Humanities (VNU-HCM), Finance - Marketing, Cuu Long, Law of Ho Chi Minh City, Academy of Posts and Telecommunications Technology, Ho Chi Minh City Theater and Cinema, Ho Chi Minh City College of Culture and Arts and Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music.

"The Collection of 50 Songs" is elaborately designed, with introductions, comments and feelings from researchers, journalists and musicians, creating a publication that is both artistic and documentary. Each work in the collection has a QR code so that readers and music lovers can access and listen to the song.

Meritorious Artist Vo Minh Lam expressed: "I am proud to contribute a little bit to the Mai Vang Award of Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper every year. As an artist, I always try to spread positive messages to the public, so that society becomes more civilized and prosperous. I hope that the 31st Mai Vang Award season in 2025 will have more explosive activities, making an impression on the public."

Meritorious Artist Tu Suong confided: "I am very honored to perform at the Gala Art Program "The Rising Country" organized by the Newspaper Nguoi Lao Dong, a very meaningful art program. I am lucky to have received the Mai Vang Award, I will try my best for each role in the future."

Mr. Khue recorded

We would like to sincerely thank the units that accompanied the Campaign to compose the theme song "The Country is Full of Joy": Truong Hai Group Joint Stock Company, Van Hien University, Charm Group Joint Stock Company.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/dau-an-dep-cho-am-nhac-tp-hcm-196250517234718795.htm